Song of the Charter
by RosalindsGhost
Summary: A fun 'first-time' story for Lireal, inspired by the desire to write a 'first-time' story that wasn't as dire and serious as usual. Set post-The Creature in the Case. Lireal hasn't seen Nick since she rescued him at the wall. What will she say to him at the midwinter feast in Belisaere? Rated M for sexual content and mature themes. Smutty in a vanilla kind of way.
1. The Wall

_A 'first time' sex story for Lireal. So many stories about a loss of virginity are treated with utter seriousness and drama, and I wanted to present a story similar to my own experience, which was fun and irreverent and passionate. Also, I wanted to explore how someone as shy yet so knowledgeable as Lireal might handle sex with someone as gregarious as Nicholas Sayre. As this story developed, despite the fact that it was obvious to me that Nick was understood to be sexually experienced (especially after reading_ The Creature in the Case _) what appealed to me was idea that Lireal is literally his hero; she means so much to him that he kind of freezes up their first time, and she has to take the lead._

 _Anyway, that's enough from me. Rated M for obvious reasons. Warning: Here Be Smut. (Just call me the smut-peddler. Let's be honest, I haven't written anything else yet.)_

 _*Also, huge shout-out to my first story favourite and my first follower! Woohoo!_

 _**Also, I think I've had a pretty decent story output since I joined, but that might ease up for a while because I am finishing my dissertation._

The perimeter soldiers were digging a grave. The air near the Wall was sharp and bitter cold. The shovel blades almost screamed as they bit through the frozen soil. Little breaths of steam were lost on the frozen wind.

The wind blew powerfully, but no sound came from the odd wind flutes that littered the area. They were as silent as the digging soldiers. Though the sky above was a hard, crystal blue, the sky across the wall was grey and stormy-looking. No one appeared to notice, or care, about this strange difference. They were all focused on their work. To the right observer, colourful marks crawled lazily across the stones of the Wall, emitting a soft light that flashed occasionally as the sun reflected off the chain mail of the perimeter guards.

Lireal watched, not without some discomfort. The body was freshly dead, and her death-sense twitched. Luckily for this soldier, Lireal had helped him beyond the ninth gate, so he wouldn't be ridden back through the door to death that was permanently ajar this near to the wall. Tindall stood next to her. 'Bloody good man. Was one of the few charter mages we have left here at the wall,' he growled.

'I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner,' Lireal whispered, 'this is the first major incident since the Hrule and-and, Nick, ah, Mr. Sayre.'

Something twisted in Lireal's stomach when she mentioned Nick. 'I suppose we've been focusing a little bit too much on the rest of the kingdom. You needn't worry, however. I know that King Touchstone has a squadron who are just about to finish their training. So you'll have an influx of Charter Mages soon.'

'Thank the Charter,' said Tindall. 'There hasn't been much trouble, but we are certainly running thin along the lines here.'

Lireal nodded. She burned with shame that her neglect had led to this man's death. She was tempted to let her hair fall in front of her face, a habit from her days with the Clayr, but she knew she had to put herself past that now. She was the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, and there was no time for her to feel sorry for herself. She let her golden hand rest briefly on Tindall's shoulder, amazed at Sam's ingenuity: she could _feel_ the fabric of Tindall's uniform. 'If you don't need anything else…'

'Certainly, Miss,' he said, gruffly. 'I'm sure you're needed elsewhere. Too many places, probably.'

'Thank you,' she whispered. There was a pause. 'I'm sorry.'

Before he could respond, she set off for her paperwing. She launched herself into the sling seat, her bells landing heavily against her chest. It was the weight of a responsibility she would bear for the rest of her life. The power to keep the dead down. If she was fast enough. And smart enough. Yet all things die, eventually. When Sabriel, the current Abhorsen did, then Lireal would become the new Abhorsen, and on and on until the end of time, she supposed. Her lips were dry. She licked them, nervously, and whistled up the Charter Marks for wind and flight.

The wind lifted the paperwing with dizzying suddenness, but Lireal was almost used to it by now. She – almost – had the hang of it, she thought, as the paperwing lurched, then righted itself. The lurching sensation stayed in her stomach long after the flight had smoothed out. Was it the death of the perimeter scout, or was it the thought of Nick that was making her stomach swoop so?

It had been almost five weeks since she had rescued Nick at the Wall, and bound the Hrule. Nick had been safely ensconced at the royal palace in Belisaere since then, and Lireal had been all over the Old Kingdom, helping Sabriel put down the last of the greater dead and free magic creatures that had taken advantage of the situation with Orannis. She hadn't seen him, not even once.

Her last flight away from the wall had been with him. Her charter magic hadn't worked like she expected; though it had healed him, it didn't do it very quickly. He was still so weak during the trip that they barely spoke, but she did remember what little he said. After Orannis, he had been too scared to stay in the Old Kingdom. But he had come back. Because of the letter she had written him. Lireal felt her face flush, and it wasn't because of the wind whipping through the cockpit. She didn't know what it was about Nicholas Sayre, but she couldn't stop thinking about him.

In the short time she had known him, Lireal had marvelled at the way he managed to laugh, to find the humour in any situation. She couldn't stop thinking about the way his hair flopped into his eyes, and the rakish smile he always wore, even when he was exhausted and horribly injured, (as he had been each time she saw him). In fact, she had never seen him at his best. Something about Nick made her want to take care of him. She felt tenderness toward him that she had never known before, and it terrified her. And now, she was about to see him again.

This stop to deal with the Morduat that had attached itself to the now-deceased charter mage was just a detour on her way to the palace. It was midwinter, and the proper celebrations had to be observed. That meant that all those of the blood had to attend. Royals, Abhorsens, and even a representative of the Clayr would be there. As would Nicholas Sayre. Her heart sped up, and she was fairly sure it had nothing to do with the flight. What would Lireal say when she saw him? Would she even be able to speak? It was so much easier to articulate even some of her feelings when she could write them down. Though she was certain she would curl up and die on the spot if Nick knew how many times she had drafted that letter before she finally sent it with Sam's message to Ancelstierre. When it came to her duties as Abhorsen-in-waiting, she had completely moved on from the scared little librarian she had been. In matters of the heart, not so much.

Head roiling like the clouds gathering above her, she whistled the paperwing toward the palace.


	2. The Bath

Lireal was already late when she arrived, given the unexpected detour she had taken to the Wall. She had barely managed to tumble stiffly out of the cockpit before the sendings had whisked her away. A particularly enthusiastic one actually started to remove her bandolier and armour as they bustled her down the hallway. 'Hands!' she shrieked, as the sending tried to yank off her surcoat as well.

She shuddered as their charter-spelled hands rippled over her skin, shoving her into a well-appointed room. She had moments to take in the four-post bed hung with drapes that were quartered with keys and silver stars and the steaming, copper tub, before the sendings mercilessly stripped her and dumped her into the hot water. Luckily, they let her keep the washing to herself. There was one sending at the Abhorsen's house that wouldn't even let you scrub your own hair. These ones did; however, they stood around the tub, impatiently holding towels. Lireal ignored them, and sunk beneath the hot water, trying to ease her tense muscles. In the silence under the water, she tried to figure out what she would say to Nick. She might as well admit it to herself: she was drawn to Nick, even when he was weak as a kitten and she could count his ribs. She had already noticed how well he had filled out when she rescued him at the wall. How would he look now with charter magic training, Old Kingdom air, and rich palace food under his belt?

Lireal ached for some advice from the Disreputable Dog. She let out her breath in a stream of bubbles, and pushed her head above the surface of the water. The sendings immediately offered up their towels, so she sighed and decided she might as well face the music. No closer to deciding what she would say to Nick she pushed herself up out of the hot water, steam rippling off her body. As she stepped out of the bath, the sound of running footsteps approached her room and the door burst inwards. 'Lireal!' shouted Nick, joyfully, before he stopped dead in the doorway.

For one moment frozen in time, a moment that seemed to stretch out into eternity, Nick was staring at Lireal, naked as the day she was born, water still cascading off her breasts, hips and long, dark hair. 'Nick!' Lireal gasped, and tried her best to cover herself with her hands, turning away and motioning desperately for the oblivious sendings to give her a towel. As she did, she noticed how Nick's eyes roved all over her body, a blush creeping up his neck. She turned her back on him and wrapped a towel around her body as quickly as possible. 'Nick,' she squeaked, 'What are doing here?!'

Nick coughed. 'I, uh, I h-heard you were here, and, uh, I w-wanted to, to see you,' he stuttered.

'So, so, sorry,' he managed as he backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Now Lireal was certain she really _would_ curl up and die. The sendings, unmindful of Lireal's embarrassment and what had just transpired, were laying out a shift and a gown for her on the bed. The sending that had previously stripped her so enthusiastically began to rub down her body and towel-dry her hair. Lireal let it continue its ministrations; she was too numb to protest. Perhaps numb was the wrong word – she was tingling all over with a mixture of shame and – a strange sort of heat? She couldn't stop thinking of the way his eyes had traveled over her body, lingering in certain places, as if they could burn holes through her flesh and see into her soul.

The towel sending was now twisting her hair back into a complicated knot while two others held the undergarment out to her. She shrugged the light shift on indifferently, and then took the proffered gown. Even in her state, she could appreciate its beauty. It was a deep midnight blue, and tiny silver stars and keys dusted up from the hem, neckline and cuffs, making it appear as though she would be dressed in the night sky. The sendings helped her slide it over her head, and then they pulled the laces of the bodice tight against her ribs. The sleeves were such deep bells that they brushed the floor, and the skirts fell heavily around her hips. The over-enthusiastic sending seemed to be pushing several crystal-tipped pins into her dark hair, and a second one lifted a long silver necklace and draped it around her neck. It fell between her breasts to just below her sternum, and the pendant was a single silver bell – a miniature Dyrim bell – though not imbued with magic, either free or charter.

She turned and looked at herself in the mirror. Her reflection raised its eyebrows in surprise. The woman staring back at her was lovely. She was powerful; she stood straight and proud, and though her skin was pale as death, a pretty blush danced around her cheekbones, a leftover of her embarrassment. In this dress, she felt like she might actually be strong enough to face Nick after what had just occurred. And it was a good thing too, as a chime sounded throughout the palace, signalling dinner was about to begin.


	3. Midwinter Feast

'I have to sit at the high table?' Lireal hissed.

Sam chuckled. 'Yes you do. Part of the family, and all that,' he said, smirking.

There was a pause. 'Sorry,' Sam offered.

Somewhat exasperated, Lireal sighed. 'It's fine. I'm just not too keen on attention, as you know.'

'Well,' said Sam, eyeing her, 'You deserve all the attention you'll get, wearing that dress… Aunt Lireal,' he added, almost as an afterthought.

She glared at him. Then she trudged up to the high table at the top of the hall and took her seat, resigned to her fate. Despite the fact that Sam and Ellimere were closer kin to the royal couple than Lireal, she was appalled to note that the sendings had seated her at Sabriel's side. Sam and his sister were sitting beside King Touchstone, so she wouldn't even have a friendly face near her own age to talk to during the dinner. Midwinter feasts traditionally involved multiple courses, multiple toasts, and multiple entertainments. This evening was going to be interminable.

She could already see that the members of the noble and merchant classes that filed into the hall were gazing at her curiously. Not many people had had the chance to see the new Abhorsen-in-Waiting. The added curiosity that she was a Daughter of the Clayr and a Remembrancer was proving almost too much for people to bear, as they craned their necks to try and get a good look at her.

Lireal wished that stupid sending had left her hair alone. She bowed her head, yearning for her curtain of hair to hide her face. Her cheeks were burning, and she reached for the wine goblet in front of her, just so she had something to focus on other than the stares of the crowd. Then, someone cleared his throat over her left shoulder. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Lireal turned to see who it was.

Nick was looking at the ground, and his face was crimson between the freckles. 'Hello,' she managed to squeak out, uncomfortably aware that the tops of her breasts were exposed due to the low neckline of her dress.

"Good evening, miss,' he said.

Great, she had been demoted to a nameless state. Apparently she had completely misread his gaze in her room. Her throat tightened when she realized that he had been assigned to sit beside her. He perched on the chair as if it was about to explode, and stared ahead stiffly. In her previous state, she hadn't really gotten a look at him. Now, despite the fact that her instincts were screaming at her to ignore him, she snuck a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He had certainly filled out since the last time she had seen him, weakened and pale at the Wall. He had obviously been training with the charter mages at the palace, and she could see his well-defined chest and shoulder muscles under his tunic. His face was no longer hollowed and hungry, but his high cheekbones and strong jaw were still clearly visible. Though his sandy hair had been styled, it still threatened to flop in his eyes. But he was missing the thing she remembered the most: that crooked smile.

Suddenly he looked up, as if he had felt her gaze on him. His eyes widened as he took in her dress and hair. He had obviously avoided looking directly at her up until this point. His colour deepened, and she glanced away, ashamed. She wasn't sure what she had hoped for in seeing Nick again, but Lireal was certain that she hadn't wanted awkwardness and silence. Yet that was what she got.

During the meal, Sabriel was lovely, as usual, and tried to make small talk with Lireal. She managed to distract Lireal for a while with an update on the dead and free magic creatures she had taken care of since the last time she had checked in. However, this type of conversation could only last so long, and eventually, Sabriel turned her attention to her husband and children. Unfortunately, that meant Lireal had nothing to focus on but her hurt feelings and the stupid entertainments. Meanwhile, Nick was getting increasingly drunk beside her, flirting loudly with the Clayr on his other side – one of her cousins, Lireal couldn't remember her name. Completely humiliated, tears beginning to prick at the corners of her eyes, she whispered something about feeling sick to Sabriel, pushed back her chair, and stood. As she did, she watched, as if in slow motion, as Nick gesticulated wildly and spilled his goblet of wine all over her beautiful dress. There was silence at the head table. Everyone's eyes were on her, even Nick's. Horrified, Lireal picked up her skirts and ran from the hall.


	4. Lost

Ten minutes of panicked running later, Lireal realised that she was hopelessly lost. She absolutely no idea where her room was. Her head had been so full of Nick that she hadn't been paying attention to the route to her room. She sat down heavily on the bottom step of a darkened stairway and put her head between her hands. She _prayed_ to the Charter that a report of some free magic creature run amok would come in so that she could leave.

At least now she was alone, in the dark, away from all those stares. She was absolutely mortified, especially because, from the look on his face, Nick knew exactly how much he had hurt and embarrassed her. Worse, she still couldn't help wanting him.

Lireal could finally admit it to herself. The shock and embarrassment she had endured today had kicked her brain into overdrive, and she knew now that she wanted Nick. She wanted his body and she wanted him to want hers. She wasn't ignorant of the relations between men and women (or for that matter, men and men or women and other women – a fairly common occurrence on the Clayr's Glacier); she was still a librarian in her heart, after all. She had done her research. That didn't mean she had ever felt this way about anyone before, and she had no idea how to express it. Not for the first time since she had defeated Orannis, Lireal longed for the large Dog-shaped hole in her life to be filled, so that she had someone to talk to, to ask about these things.

Frustrated, she got to her feet and looked around for the charter marks in the wall to indicate a sending that could show her to her room. She wandered a little further down the silent hallway before she found one and awoke it. 'Can you show me where my room is please?' she whispered.

The sending nodded its cowled head, and gestured for her to follow. Shockingly, she was only a flight of stairs and one hallway away from where her room actually was. Perhaps her sense of direction wasn't quite that bad after all. She paused outside her doorway and thanked the sending. It wandered off to lie dormant until someone activated its marks again. She turned to the door, and was surprised to see that it was slightly ajar. Her rational mind told her that the palace was too well protected for anything to be amiss, but she approached with caution anyway. Tentatively, she cast out with her death-sense, but nothing dead seemed to be nearby. There was no tang of free magic, either. Alert to any danger, she slowly pushed the door open. Lireal was stunned by what she saw.

Nick was standing in the middle of the room. Lireal froze. 'You're probably wondering why I'm here…' Nick began.

Lireal waited. There was a long pause. Nick seemed to be struggling to figure out what to say, but at this point, she wasn't going to do him any favours and help him out. He had hurt her too much today. 'Um. Well. Quite. M-may I sit?' Nick asked, tentatively.

She said nothing. "Yes, well…' he trailed off, and remained standing. 'Look, I wanted to apologise. For, for barging in like that, earlier. And for ruining your dress. And my behaviour at dinner. Really, I've just been a right git all day. And, well, I was just so excited to see you. I haven't seen you since the Wall, and I wanted to tell you all about what I've been learning – Sam has been working on modifying charter magic for me to use – and everyone here has been so nice to me…' Nick paused, and cleared his throat.

He carried on, his voice tight. 'How-however, even though all of these terribly exciting things have been happening in my life, all I could think about was the next time I would get to see you, so I could tell you all about my life here, and what things were like for me in Ancelstierre, and get to know you, so you could tell me all about what it was like growing up here, and your work, and, and, I suppose I was a, a l-little over-excited.'

Something strange was happening to Lireal. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she felt like she might faint. A flush was spreading over Nick's skin, and she could see his chest heaving where the neck of his tunic had fallen open. His eyes bore into hers; she was held utterly captive by his gaze. His voice dropped. 'When I burst in, and I saw you – do you have any idea how gorgeous you are? My word, even the first time I saw you, and I thought you were a vision, or a dream, and my body wasn't mine, all I wanted was to kiss you, and touch you, and see you like I saw you today. You're glorious, Lireal. That dress is gorgeous, but all I want is to rip it off you and ravish you,' he growled.

Lireal's knees where weak, she felt like she couldn't get any air. The silence stretched out; Nick's heavy breathing was the only sound in the room. A large part of her wanted to run and hide – to get into her paperwing and fly back to the Clayr's Glacier where she could lose herself in the library. But that was the old Lireal. Instead, displaying strength she wouldn't have had before the defeat of Orannis, Lireal turned and shut the door, sealing them both in her room. Nick was watching her warily. She approached him, bravely coming to stand just before him. 'Well,' she said, looking up at him, 'the dress is ruined anyway. Are you a man of your word?'

Nick's eyes widened, and a delighted grin spread over his face. There. That was what she had been missing about him. She smiled back, and he seized her waist and pulled her to him. His lips met hers in a searing kiss.


	5. Song of the Charter

Lireal pressed her body against his, relishing the feel of his hard muscles insinuating into her soft form – although she wasn't nearly as soft as she had been when she lived with the Clayr. Nick seemed to think she was soft in all the right places, though, as he moaned when her body connected with his. It felt so _right_. Lireal sighed contentedly, opening her mouth against his. She felt a jolt as his tongue slid into her mouth. His tongue was running along the length of hers. There was something so intimate about this penetrative act that a heat overtook her, and she slid her tongue into his mouth in return. Meanwhile, her hands, one flesh, one gold, roamed over his muscled chest, as his slid down her hips and cupped her behind, pulling her against him as if he wanted to meld their bodies together.

Roughly, Nick pushed her backwards until her calves hit the bed, and her mouth fell open in surprise as he let go of her and she fell back onto the blankets. He was wearing that crooked smile as he gazed down at her, and briefly, she wondered what she had gotten herself into. Reaching down, he grazed his fingers across the tops of her breasts. She shuddered as the heat that had been centered on her lips now pooled between her legs. Suddenly, he seized the neckline of her gown and she gasped aloud as he tore a great rent clear down the centre, exposing her body to his gaze. 'Well,' she breathed, 'it seems you are a man of your word.'

She knew she ought to be frightened by his passion. She knew the theory of what they were about to do together, of course, but she had never done anything in practice with a man. Yet all she felt was excitement. The few times at the Glacier she had been absolutely certain of privacy from both the Dog and cousins, she had carefully explored her own body, bringing herself to trembling climax more than once. However, Nick's hungry look managed to enflame her more than any solo touching session had done.

As he watched, Lireal shrugged off the remains of the gown. Her shift was sheer in the soft charter-spelled light, and Nick stared hungrily at her pink nipples and the dark patch between her legs. She didn't stop though, and pulled the undergarment over her head, displaying her naked body once again to his scrutiny. His stare made her feel so _hot_. Almost involuntarily, her hands strayed between her legs, and she started to stroke her fingers gently up and down her centre. Her charter-spelled hand sent ripples of warmth straight to her core. She hadn't yet touched herself with the golden glove, and it was nearly as thrilling as the knowledge that Nick was watching her touch herself. With a sharp inhale, Nick fixed his gaze between her legs, and his jaw tightened. She felt as if she was laid bare to him, and it was delicious.

It was almost as though Nick was paralyzed by her sensuality, so she sat up and unfastened the belt around his tunic. He helped her pull the tunic off him, still non-verbal due to her confident display of her own sexuality. Lireal was rather surprised at herself, truth be told. Despite her lack of experience, she was taking the lead. She wondered idly if Nick was also a virgin, but was then transfixed by the sight of his naked chest. She gently ran her golden fingers over his muscled torso, watching as charter marks trailed off onto his skin. Abruptly, she grasped his hips and pulled him down to join her on the bed. Smiling at the look of amazement on his face, Lireal gently pushed him until he was lying on his back. She straddled his legs and looked down at him. His crooked smile was back, and she trailed one shimmering finger playfully from the hollow of his throat, between his pectorals, pausing briefly to swirl around his belly button before following the line of golden hair to the edge of his breeches.

Briefly, Lireal drew back when she felt his hot hardness under the laces of his breeches. It wasn't unexpected; she knew what happened to a man's body, thanks to her research, but she was still surprised by how big it felt beneath her hand. He felt so good between her legs, though, so she swallowed her nervousness and began to undo the laces. Her arms tingled as Nick ran his fingers up them. He lightly brushed her collarbone before he began to explore her breasts, almost shyly. Her back arched with his touch, and she coloured as she realized she was leaving a wet mark on his breeches. 'Oh, Lireal,' he moaned, 'You feel so good.'

Heat surged down to her centre at his words, and her breath hitched as he rolled her peaked nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. Lireal's passion ramped up another notch as Nick pushed himself up so that he could lay hot kisses on her breasts. At the same time as his teeth closed over her right nipple, her golden hand slid inside his breeches and grasped his hot length, eliciting moans from both parties. 'Oooh, oh, Nick!' she breathed, pushing him roughly away so that she could pull off his breeches.

Laughter bubbled to the surface as she tried to release his legs from their fabric prison. Nick laughed with her, and she revelled in the sound. She had missed his laugh. Finally they managed to extricate his legs, and fell atop him, giggling helplessly. He seized her around the waist and rolled her over, stopping her giggles with another wild kiss. She was concentrating on the feel of his lips against hers when she felt an utterly unexpected sensation between her legs. His fingers were gently probing her entrance, and she broke the kiss, moaning "Nnn-Nick! That feels amazing, don't stop.'

Like the good cricket player he was, Nick followed coach's orders, and slipped a single digit gently inside her. She rolled up her hips to meet his fingers, wanting to be filled by him. She could feel his cock, straining and rigid against her thigh, trailing hot pre-cum in his pleasure. He slid his finger in and out, in and out, and then added a second one. She couldn't believe how wet she was for him; the sign of her arousal was dripping down her thighs. Lireal was secretly pleased. From her reading, she knew it would make things easier when it came time for Nick to penetrate her. Just then, Nick curled his fingers inside her, and brushed his thumb over the sensitive nub at the apex of her sex. She writhed against his hand, and stopped breathing entirely when he pressed his thumb against her clit in time to the thrusts of his fingers. She climaxed with a suddenness that took her breath away. Her inner walls clenched around his fingers, and her legs shook as her pleasure spiralled out of control.

She came slowly back to earth, and opened her eyes. He was looking down at her, smiling and enchanted. She grinned back at him, and without warning, rolled him over until she was once again straddled above him. She reached down to take hold of him and guide him to her entrance, but he stopped her hand, suddenly serious. 'Lireal, I don't suppose… Is this, will this be your first time?' he asked, tentatively.

She smiled down at him. 'Yes, of course. There weren't exactly many opportunities in the Clayr's Glacier, unless I wanted to bed a stranger. And Sam's the only young man my age I really know, and he's my nephew.'

Nick sighed. 'Well, it isn't mine. Those other girls, though, they weren't you. They weren't special. You – you're brave and smart and beautiful, and you saved me when I thought no one could. You kept your promise and you came back to me again and again. If there's anything I know about this, love, it's that it should be special and perfect for you, not some tumble in between courses at dinner.'

'Nonsense,' said Lireal, 'I'm certainly old enough, and I am well aware of what I'm getting myself into.'

Nick didn't look convinced. Lireal smiled at him. 'Believe me, if I didn't want this, we wouldn't be doing this. I'm not a scared little librarian any more, and I'm certainly not some warrior goddess up on a pedestal. Besides, it will be special and perfect because it's with you, Nick. Now let me love you.'

That smile once again lit Nick's face. Thank the Charter that she had spent her formative years educating herself, thought Lireal, as her hands knit the marks for barriers and protection and cast them over Nick's member. Hopefully the charter spell would work the way it was supposed to – she wasn't too keen on having children just yet, and Nick's body seemed to react strangely to the charter. Then, slowly and gently, she grasped Nick's length in her hand, and sank down onto the tip. The combination of sensations was amazing, better than she could have hoped for. Her heart pounded as the charter marks buzzed inside her, and he filled her to the brim. She felt as though Nick was burning within her body as his girth stretched her inner walls. There was some discomfort, but her natural lubrication certainly eased the way. She settled down on him until her hips were flush with his. She felt, well, _filled_ was one word, but it was so much more than that.

The closest she could come to describing it was that she felt like it did when she touched a charter stone. She fell into the endless chain of the charter, but Nick was there with her. Nick wasn't _Nick_ , though, not really. He was like the brightest being in the universe, made up of strange twisting charter marks she had never seen before. Lireal looked down at her own body, and saw that she too, seemed to be some kind of glowing creature, and the light was practically blinding where their bodies joined.

Suddenly, she was back to herself, and she was riding Nick, grinding into him, meeting his thrusts with equal fervour as she gasped aloud. She had no idea how long she'd fallen through the charter, but judging by the sweat trickling between her breasts, and Nick's look of wonder, he had been there with her, and their bodies had taken over while their minds had become one. Nick sat up, pulling her hips into him harder, trying to ensure that every bit of their skin could touch. He reached up and viciously pulled out those few pins that hadn't already fallen out of her hair. Lireal's dark tresses cascaded down around them, and he grabbed a fistful, pulling her head back so he could savage her throat. In response, she dug her fingernails into his shoulders, hissing.

Lireal was beyond thought. She felt as though she was entirely made up of sensation. The buzzing of the charter marks spreading throughout her body from the point were her body merged with Nick's was overwhelming. Nick's harsh breath at her throat was too much to bear. Her slick, burning skin sliding over his was engulfing her senses. The sharp pain where he grasped her hair at the base of her skull was exquisite. Most of all, the way her heart seemed to beat in time with his, in time with the motion of their bodies, was devastating. One thought pierced through the fog of her consciousness: she had to climax, or she would fly apart at the seams.

Trying to control her own body, she released her grip on Nick's shoulders, leaving bloody marks where her fingernails had been. Shakily, she slid her golden hand between their bodies. With her other hand, she gripped his hair and pulled him gently away from her neck. She wanted to look into his eyes when she came. Smiling at him in awe, she slid her golden fingers over the bundle of nerves at the apex of her sex – and then the world ended.

It was like being _inside_ joy.

It was silent, and it was still. Lireal and Nick were nothing but golden light. And then she realized it wasn't silent at all. The Charter itself was imbued with the songs of joy and rapture of the Nine Bright Shiners, the beings that had given themselves up to its creation. Lireal and Nick also rang with the pure notes of ecstasy, and charter marks poured forth from their shining forms, merging with the greater chain back unto the beginning of time.

This time, Lireal came back to awareness of the physical world slowly and gently. She felt a final thrill of elation as she met Nick's gaze - she had just experienced something more profound than any previous interaction she had had with the charter, even when she had been seized as the vessel to give the Disreputable Dog corporeal form – and she had been able to share it with someone. Gone forever was the lonely girl who didn't belong anywhere. This was where she belonged: with her family, with the man she loved, doing the work she was destined to do, and serving the miracle that was the Charter.

All at once, they collapsed on the bed, limbs tangled and chests heaving. 'That was incredible!' gasped Nick. 'What _was_ that?'

Lireal looked at him. 'I have _no_ idea.'

Nick stared at her, flabbergasted. Then, that crooked smile slowly lit up his face, and he began to chuckle. Lireal let out a giggle, and then they were lost in the laughter, confusion and joy of what they had just experienced.

 _**Okay, so it got a little more serious there than I was originally intending, but the idea about the charter stones just popped into my head, and I liked it so much, I couldn't help but write it. Hope you enjoyed!_


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